Question

• Identify five competencies important to selection of candidates for global assignments that are essential to success.

Answer 1

Some of the competencies that an organization should focus at are:

• Technical or professional skills  - an organization should ensure that a candidate possesses the right technical, administrative and leadership skills. This will increase a candidate's success rate and performance level while tacking global assignments.
• Language skills - this competency entails a candidate being able to communicate in the local language. This increases the bond and makes communication between the candidate and the local or host nation employees efficient compared to if the candidate cannot communicate in the local language of the nation.
• International motivation - a candidate's success will be dependent on his or her willingness to accept an expatriate position. This means that the candidate is willing to take the global assignment and interested in the culture of the assignment location. Also, the candidate should be committed to international missions.
• Relational abilities - for a candidate to be successful in global assignments, he or she should be able to relate and communicate with others effectively. One should also be flexible to adapt to new attitudes and behaviors, possess stress adaption and cultural tolerance skills.
• Family situation - the family also plays a success factor when it comes to global assignments. A candidate's spouse career goals, willingness to live abroad and educational requirements for their children can greatly affect the candidate's ability to perform in a global assignment. Therefore, this factor should be put into consideration.

Explanation:

Global assignments require individuals to move from their parent nation to a host nation. Being a successful manager or able to meet the expectations of an assignment while working at a home or parent nation organization does not mean that one will be able to meet the same goals or expectations while working at a host nation's organization. Hence it's important for organizations to consider various factors to success before sending or selecting an employee for global assignments.